maintenance, and the progress of real piety, in any heart, are the result of Divine influence. We no where have a promise, that the intellectual powers of the pious shall be preserved unimpaired, until their translation to a better world; but we have a promise, that He who has begun a good work, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. It would, doubtless, be as easy for Omnipotence to continue a capacity for one class of exercises as for another; but as his promise has secured this blessing in one case, and not in another; and as the consolations which result from moral and religious sources are much more desirable and important, in the evening of life, than those which are connected with intellectual activity; it appears in every respect worthy of infinite wisdom and goodness, to ascribe the acknowledged fact of which we are speaking, to the benign and gracious agency of Him, who has said, to every child of his grace, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.-But to return to the venerable subject of these memoirs.

In the evening preceding his death, he prayed with his family for the last time. After a few short petitions of the usual kind, for their temporal and spiritual welfare, he prayed fervently and

affectionately, for the Congregations which had been so long under his pastoral care. Having dwelt, in a number of appropriate and connected sentences, on this topic, he passed on to other subjects of petition; but immediately returned to the "dear people of his charge," and, with increasing fervour of manner, prayed for them a second time. Nay, after a few intervening sentences relating to other objects, as if unable to take leave of the subject, he introduced a third time, with as much affection and copiousness as before, his "beloved people;" and with earnest entreaties that the Holy Spirit might be poured out upon them, and that they might be more and more united in affection, and built up in holiness, he closed the last social prayer that he ever made.

The next morning, after being raised up and placed in his easy chair, for a few moments, while his bed was made, he requested, on lying down again, that the family might be convened, as usual, for the purpose of praying with them. When it was suggested, that he was too much exhausted, and that he had better wait a short time, until he should recover a little after his recent exertion, he acquiesced, but soon fell into a gentle

slumber, and did not mention the subject afterwards.

Toward three o'clock, in the afternoon of that day, he became in a small degree restless, and manifested symptoms of approaching dissolution. His colleague was immediately sent for, and in a few minutes entered the room. He found him unable to speak; but had the pleasure of perceiving, that he knew him; and by signs, as well as by his countenance, that he enjoyed his wonted hope and consolation, and that he wished him to pray with him. A short prayer was accordingly offered up; and the venerable servant of Jesus Christ, without again recovering his speech, was, about four o'clock, P. M. on the 7th day of May, 1811, in the 84th year of his age, and in the 63d year of his ministry, quietly released from his mortal tabernacle, and translated to his eternal

rest.

The officers of the churches to which the deceased had sustained the pastoral relation, on being informed of his death, immediately convened; and having communicated to his widow and family their wishes that the care and expense of the funeral might be left with them, proceeded to

take order on the subject. The funeral was attended on Thursday, the 9th of May. Scarcely ever was there seen in New-York so large a concourse of real mourners. The corpse was taken into the Brick church, while an impressive funeral oration was delivered by Doctor Milledoler, and was afterwards deposited in a vault in the yard of that church. The pulpits of all the Presbyterian churches in the city, were hung in mourning on the occasion; and on the succeeding sabbath, in most, if not all, of those churches, funeral sermons were delivered; a specimen of which will be subjoined to this volume.

CHAPTER IX.

Οτι ἦν ἀνῆς ἀγαθός, καί πλήρης Πνεύματος αγὶς καὶ πίςεως,

Acts xi. 24.

His general Character.

BEFORE the writer undertakes to sketch the general character of his venerable Colleague, to the commemoration of which he has devoted the present volume, he begs leave to offer the testimony of some others on the same subject. By inserting the communications which follow, he has no doubt he shall afford pleasure to every reader.

Happening to be in Philadelphia, a few days after the death of Doctor Rodgers, he addressed the following letter to that enlightened Physician and Philanthropist, who, more than any other individual, deserves to be styled the Father of Medical Science in America, and who is not ashamed to be called a CHRISTIAN.